System of fluid-pressure control.



w. J. RICHARDS.

SYSTEM O F'PLUID' PRESSURE CONTROL. APPLICATION FILED BALM, 1904.

PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

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bears. at one end against WALTER JOSEPH RICHARDS, OF MILWAUKEE, VVISGONSIN.

SYSTEM OF FLUlD-PRESSURE CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1 906.

Application filed March 21. 1904. Serial lib-199,240.

had to the accompanying drawings, whichare a part of this s e'cification.

. This invention re ates to certain new and useful improvements in systems of fluid-pressurqcontrol, and has for its obj ect to provide certain novel means for maintaining a given range of pressure in fluid-pressure systems by automatically connecting and disconnecting the compressor with a continuously-operating driving means, such automatic control of the compressor being actuated by the pressure in the fluid-pressure system.

A further object *w an electrical system for accomplishing oth of the. above objects and comprising,

briefly, a generator driven by a constantlyoperating source of power and su plying current for operating a magnetic c utch which controls the operation of the compressor from said continuously-operating source of power, the flow of .such current from the generator being controlled by a switch sensitive to the variations of fluid-pressure in the system supplied with pressure by said compressor.

Withthe above and other objects in view the invention consists in devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing the figure represents a diagram of a system of fluidpressure control embodying this invention, parts being shown in section.

In the drawin 1 represents a driving-belt from any suita le continuously-operating source of power (not shown) and driving a loose pulley 2, which is freely mounted upon a driving-shaft 3, which is journaled in suitable bearings 4, the loose pulley 2 being capable of movement on the shaft 3 longitudinally of the shaft as well as being free to rotate independently on said shaft.

A clutch-pulley 5 is rigidly keyed on the shaft 3'adjacent to the loose pulley 2 and'has a recess 6 at the center of its face which is next to the loose pulley 2, and in this recess is seated a coil compression-spring the end of the recess and at the other end against a collar 8, which is loosely mounted on the shaft 3 between j clutch 5, of his invention is to emthe pulley 2 to move on 7, which 1 the clutch 5 and loose pulley 2. The collar 8 is limited in its movement on the shaft 3 by engagement with a pin 9, which extends through said shaft 3 and projects on either side thereof, and the loose pulley 2 is provided with a shouldered recess 10 to receive said pin 9, the annular shoulder 11 thereof being adapted to engage with the collar 8, so that when the loose pulle 2'is drawn into close engagement with the cIiltch 5 by means to be later described the collar 8 is pressed by said shoulder away from the pin 9, and said pin passes into the innermost portion of the recesslO, thus compressing the spring 7. When the means for drawing the loose pulley 2 toward the clutch againstthe action of spring7 pression forces the collar 8' away "from the is released, the spring 7 under cornand the collar being in engagement with the shoulder 11 of the recess 10 forces the shaft 3 away from the clutch, and thereby shaft 3 from the driying means, and the shaft, with its driven parts, comes to rest.

A pinion '12 is carried by the shaft 3 between two of the bearings 4 and meshes with disconnects the a gear-wheel 13, which 18 suitably journaled in bearings 14: and drives a. crank-disk 15, whose wrist-pin 16 is connected by a pitman 17 with a cross-head 18, which is slidable in suitable guideways 19 and has connected thereto the piston-rod 20 of an air-pump cylinder 21.

The air-pumplis of usual construction, takin in air at bot ends through a branched inta e-pipe 22 and discharging it through pipe 23 into a reservoir 24, which communicates by a pipe 25 with the means to be operated by compressed. air, and also by a pipe '26 with a closed cylinder 27, in which is contained a piston 28, with a compression-spring 29, about its stem opposing the pressure of the air behind the piston.

A generator is driven by a belt 31 from a supplemental pulley 32, rigidly connected to the pulley ated thereby, series wound nected by points 36, adapted to be bridged over by a switch 37, connected to but insulated from the stem of piston 28, so that when the fluidsaid generator being preferably and having its field 33 con pressure behind the piston 28 is suflicient to wires 34 and 35 with contact-f 2, so as to be constantly operof the generator, and consequently check the flow of current generated thereby.

The clutch 5 is formed of iron or other magnetic'inaterial and has near its periphery a deep annular groove 38 formed in its face, and in this groove is wound a coil of insulated Wire 39, with its terminals connected with collector-rings 40, mounted on but insulated from the shaft 3. lVhen current is passed through the coil 37, the portion'of the metal of clutch 5 within it becomes the core of'anelectromagnet which attracts the loose pulley 2 as its armature, the magnetic circuit being completed around the metal of the clutch which surrounds the coil. In order that the loose pulley 2 may not be held in contact with the clutch 5 by residual magclutch.

A: wire 42 connects the armature of the generator to a brush 43, hearing on one of the collctor-rings 40, and a, wire 44 connects with abrush 45, bearing on the other collector ring t0 and leads to an electromagnet 46-, whose armature is a pin-valve 47, which when raised by the magnet permits oil to flow from the oil-cup 48 to the funnel-shaped pressure behind the piston 28 and forces said piston to move the switch 37 out of engagement with the contacts 36, and thereby remove the short-circuit of the field-winding of the generator. This causes the generator to supply a flow of current through the controlling-circuit, energizing the clutch 5 to draw the loose pulley 2 into frictional engagement therewith, and thereby drive the shaft 3 and the motor-compressor in gear with it and at the same time cause the magnets 46, 5t), and 53 to lift the valves of the oiLcups and permit the oil to flow to the several Working parts above mentioned. Thus the compressor is set in operation to restore the pressure to the fluid-pressurc system, and when the normal pressure is again attained the piston 28 is forced against itsspring 25) to close the short-circuiting switch 37 and render inoperative the several parts, as .before described, until the pressure in the fluidpressure system is again reduced to less than normal. By this means the fluid-pressure system is kept at a comparatively constant pressure and oil is not fed to the working parts except during the operation thereof, and consequently no flooding with oil becomes possible.

While I have shown and described the switch 37 as for the purpose of short-circuiting the field of the generator 30, it is clear mouth of the intake-pipe 22 of the airpump and when released by said magnet is adapted to-fall to a position where it closes the passage leading from said oil-cup. A wire 49 connects themagnet 46 with a similar magnet 50 of an oil-cup 51, similar in all respects tothe oil-cup above described and feeding oil to theguidewa s of the pitman 17, and a wire 52 connects t e magnet 50 with a magnet 53.01 asimilar oil-cup 54, feeding oil to a bent tubular neck 55, carried by the wrist pin. 16, so as to convey oil thereto during the movements of said Wrist pin. A wire 56 connects the magnet 53 to that contact 36 which connects with the field-winding of the generator not in connection with the armature of saidv generator.

From the foregoin itwill be seen that at all times the loose pu ley 2 is being driven by the belt 1 and is driving the armature of the enerator by means of belt 31, but that as bng as the pressure in the reservoir 24, and therefore in the entire fluid-pressure system, i'snormal the piston 28 is held against the action-of the coil-spring 29, so that the switch 37'siiorlrcircuits the field-winding of the genc ator,- and therefore the generator does not I provide current for operating the clutch, and l consequently the compressor is out of operation and the magnetic oil-cups are closed against the passage of oil, due to the inactivity of their magnets. When, however, the pressure in the reservoir 24 becomes less an normal, the spring 29 overcomes the that such switch may perform its desired functions equally 'well when other connections are made to enable it to control the operation of the clutch, and therefore it is to be understood that this switch is not to belimited to the particular operation but that all modifications in its construction by which the same results may be accomplished are to be considered as included in this invention.

l Vhile for convenience the magnets of the clutch and the oil-cups are referred to herein as being included in an electrical circuit, it is not to be understood therefrom that a single series circuit only is meant; but as the several magnets may be connected otherwise and still be controlled by the switch in the manner described the invention is not conllned to any particular method of connecting these parts.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A system for fluid -pressure control, comprising a driving mechanism, a pump, an electrically-controlled means for connecting the pump with the driving mechanism, an electric generator driven by the driving mecl1- anism and supplying current to the said electrically-controlled means, and a switch sensitive to the fluid-pressure for controlling the ilow of current to said electrically-controlled means.

2. A system for fluid pressure control, comprisiu; a driving mechanism, a pump, an electrically-controlled means for connecting IIO -circuiting the field-winding of said generator.

the pump with the driving mechanism, a selies-wound electric generator driven by the driving mechanism and supplying current to the electrically-controlledmeans and a switch sensitive to the fluid-pressure ior short-circuiting the field-winding of said generator.

3. A. .system for flllldi-PTGSSUIG control, comprising a driving mechanism, a pump, an electrically-controlled clutch for connecting the pump with the driving mechanism, an electric generator driven by the driving mechanism and supplyin current to the electrically-controlled clutc and a switch sensitive to the fluid-pressure for controlling the flow of current .to said electrically controlled clutch.

4. A system for fluid pressure control, comprising a driving mechanism, a pump, an electrically-controlled clutch for connecting the pump with the driving mechanism, a series-wound electric generator driven by the driving mechanism and supplying current to the said electrically-control ed clutch, and a switch sensitive to the fluid-pressure for short- 5. A system for fluid-pressure control comprising a drivingmechanism, a pump, a magnetically-operated clutch for connecting the pump with the driving mechanism, an elec tric generator driven by the driving mechan ism and supplying current to the clutch-oper ating magnet; and a switch sensitive to the fluid-pressure for controlling the flow of current to said magnet.

6. A system for fluid-pressure control, comprising a driving mechanism, a pump, a magnetically-operated clutch for connecting the pump with the driving mechanism, a sedriving mechanism and supplying current to the clutch-operating magnet, and a switch sensitive to the fluid-pressure for short-circuiting the field of said enerator.

Iii-testimony whereo% in presence of two witnesses.

' WALTER JOSEPH RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

R. S. C. CALDWELL, ANNA F. SCHMIDTBAUER.

ries wound electric generator driven by the I affix my signature 

